. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1375 
10 August 2006 
 (06-3855) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Any products using boric acid/sodium borate salts to control insects.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Any 
US trade partners.  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Notice.   Boric 
Acid/Sodium Borate Salts:  Tolerance Rea ssessment Decision; Notice of Availability, 
(available in English, 1 page).  
6. Description of content:  This notice announces the availability of EPA's Tolerance 
Reassessment Decision (TRED) for the boric acid and sodium borate salts, which are used as algaecides, fungicides, herbicides, and in secticides. Boric acid and sodium borate salts 
are frequently used for contro l of insects such as ants or roaches by application in non-
agricultural food and feed areas.  Other uses in clude use in animal housing, wood structures, 
forests, sewage systems, transportation a nd storage facilities, medical/veterinary 
institutions, uncultivated agricultural/nonagric ultural areas, refuse/solid waste sites, 
swimming pool algae control, ornamental lawns and turf, paved areas and aquatic 
structures.  This notice also opens a 60 day public comment period on this document.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [ X ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ] protect territory from other damage from pests   
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [ X ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   G/SPS/N/USA/1375 
Page 2  
 
  9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Federal Register: 
2 August 2006 (Volume 71, Number 148, Page:  43744 - 43745), 
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA- PEST/2006/August/Day-02/p12347.htm   
Available in English.  
10. Proposed date of adoption:  Not specified  
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  N/A - This is a notice of availability and may or may 
not result in a future regulatory action.  A notice invites the public to submit additional scientific information and comments to the Agency.    
12. Final date for comments:  Comments should be received on or before 2 October 2006.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:  Special Review and Reregistration Division (7508P), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001  
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notifi cation authority, [   ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Ms Deborah Thompson, United States SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Foreign 
Agricultural Service, Food Safety & Technical Services Division, Stop 1027, Washington 
D.C. 20250.  Tel:  202-720-4051;  Fax:  202-690-0677;  Email:  fstsd@fas.usda.gov